Undisclosed Desires
by facepalmicate
Summary: The Wizarding population is dwindling and the Ministry imposes a law declaring all Witches and Wizards must marry. Hermione is allocated a husband with whom she is sure she is not compatible, but perhaps time will create a spark she thought impossible.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a rewrite of a story I previously wrote, but felt went in the wrong direction. The M rating is for later mature scenes and possible swearing. I hope you all enjoy it :)**

Chapter 1

Hermione sat at her kitchen table, slowly fuming over what she had just read in that God-forsaken _Daily Prophet__**. **_It had to be a rumour - a silly, stupid rumour with absolutely no fact behind it. It had to be. Her brow furrowed as she mulled over her newly acquired knowledge. She glanced at the headline again. '_Ministry announces Marriage Law bill!'_

She stood at the window of her shop on Diagon Alley – _Sphinx Books_ – and watched the mass of withes and wizards pass by in a flurry of panic. Admittedly, she understood the Ministry's reasons – the Wizarding population had taken a hard hit during the war and had dwindled miserably ever since. But she had always thought that there would be other alternatives, or that the ministry would at least _wait_. It had only been 5 years since the war after all.

Months of desperate petitions, marches and panicked engagements passed by, but the ministry was firm when they declared that Marriage Law of 2003 was now in action. And on Christmas Day of all days, Hermione received her letter.

_Miss Hermione Jean Granger,_

_I am writing to inform you that you are eligible for marriage under the _Marriage Law of 2003. _On completion of the compatibility questionnaire (see enclosed) you will be matched with a suitable partner. A meeting will be held in the ministry offices where you will meet your future spouse and a legal binding will take place. The marriage must be consummated within 28 days. Failure to comply with the above conditions (further details in the enclosed leaflet) will result in a fine of up to 1000 galleons and a year or more in Azkaban Prison. _

_We thank you for your cooperation,_

_Matilda Forsweth _

_Head of Magical Marriages_

Hermione threw down the letter in disgust, after removing the questionnaire. The entire Weasley family looked at her pitifully. All of the Weasley children were now married, including Ron who had married a homely girl called Suzanna Perham shortly after the marriage law had been announced. They seemed to be doing well if the already prominent bulge of her stomach was anything to go by. Not to mention the sickening love struck glances and pet names, which Hermione tried very hard to ignore. She had very quickly figured out that Ronald and her were not as compatible as she had once thought, but being alone when he had very quickly moved on to woman to woman was hard, especially now he had found happiness. But she wasn't bitter; in fact she _was_ happy for him, perhaps just a _tad_ jealous.

She resigned herself to her future and began to fill out the questionnaire in private, snorting every so often at the questions;

'_Does your future partner have to like lettuce?'_

_ 'How often do you bathe?'_

_ 'Do you find eating to be an acceptable past-time?'_

And on and on the list went. When she had finally completed the questionnaire, she sent it back, glaring at the owl as it went.

Several weeks went by without hearing anything from the Ministry and her thoughts ranges from the miserable; _Maybe they can't find anyone because I'm so boring; _to the hopeful; _Maybe my owl got lost; _to the desperate; _If I left now, I could escape all of this. _But eventually, like she knew it would, her letter came.

_Miss Hermione Jean Granger,_

_We are very pleased to inform you that you have been allocated a suitable match and that you shall be legally bound to them on March 4__th__ at the Offices for Magical Marriages at the Ministry of Magic in London at 2.25pm. Please arrive promptly in smart attire. _

_Sincerely,_

_Matilda Forsweth_

_Head of Magical Marriages_

Hermione slumped back into her favourite chair and sighed, holding her head in her hands. So this was it.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed, it always brightens my day when I get a review :)  
>Hopefully you'll be happy with the new chapter, I tried to make it a bit longer than the last. <strong>

Chapter 2

Hermione shut the door to _Sphinx Books_ behind her with a huff. She had gone from a mild resignation to anger in the few days since her letter arrived. She was wearing one of her smartest outfits regardless. The least she could do was make a good impression upon whoever her husband was to be. She practically grimaced as she thought about it. _Husband. Wife. Marriage. _She couldn't even think about having children without feeling slightly ill, and that after all, was the whole reason for this ridiculous ordeal.

The Department of Magical Marriages was filled to bursting with a large array of bizarre situations. People crying with despair, happiness and everything in between. One woman actually attacked a guard in an attempt to get away from her husband, who appeared to be a dumpy man with a mean face. Hermione sighed heavily and entered the office she had been pointed to. The door shut behind her with a snap, causing her to jump. She had to admit, for a Gryffindor, she wasn't feeling very brave. Her eyes fluttered as her brain fought with itself. She wanted desperately to see who her husband would be, but she was suddenly so scared.

"You cannot be serious." An all too familiar voice shot out before she had dared to look. Her head snapped up in horror. It was _Snape._

A squeaky voiced woman from behind the large desk in the room looked indignant.

"This quite serious Mr. Snape. By all standards, you two are of the highest level of compatibility." Hermione's mouth moved but no words came out. "Now, now." The woman said standing, "It's quite wonderful if you ask me. Two war heroes destined to be together." She smiled dumbly.

"Destiny has nothing to do with it!" Hermione whispered furiously. "He hates me." Snape looked at her, brows furrowed, as if to discern her motives in a glance.

"Well now. There's a fine line between love and hate." The woman practically giggled. "If you do not complete the legal binding in the next 3 minutes, I'm afraid that you shall be escorted away and to Azkaban." Her face suddenly turned serious, clashing hideously with the ridiculous perm-pink of her hair.

The ceremony was completed in 30 seconds. 30 seconds to bind two people together for life. Snape had refused to meet Hermione's eyes, which were shedding traitorous tears down her face. Her resolve to keep a brave face had broken. She was expected to live with this man, to _make love to this man_ who had hated her and bullied her for her entire school life. They were ushered out of the office and into a quiet hallway filled with awkward couples. Hermione glanced at Snape. A muscle in his jaw was twitching.

"I'm sorry." He said without looking at her. She looked at him incredulously. She had not been expecting an apology to say the least. A snide comment, a dismissal, ignorance of her existence - anything but this. Her lip trembled as she tried to hold back a fresh wave of tears.

"It's not your fault." She sniffed miserably. His lips tightened into a thin line before he finally looked at her. She looked so pitiful. Her hair had fallen lopsided from its once perfectly coiffed styles and her makeup was now ruined by destructive tear tracks.

"Perhaps we should discuss this further in a less…emotionally volatile environment." He said looking about the newly wed couples uncomfortably. Hermione nodded and he held out his arm to her. She was taken aback by the gesture until she felt the uncomfortable squeezing of disapparation.

* * *

><p>"Jesus, Mary and Joseph! You could have bloody well warned me!" Hermione cried as they appeared in Hogsmeade, retching slightly. Snape looked at her with confusion.<p>

"Wasn't it obvious that I was about to disapparate? I offered you my arm." His eyes showed genuine puzzlement. Hermione huffed. So much for her fantastical thoughts of him being a gentleman. He shook his head slightly, sneering at her, before marching forth to the Three Broomsticks. Hermione stared after him sadly, in the knowledge that he is the man she is now married to.

Snape had requested a private room above the Three Broomsticks. It was small and cosy, making Snape look very out of place. Hermione sank into the armchair opposite him, studying his posture. He ran his fingertips over his lips - a habit she had picked up on over the years, which indicated that he was deliberating a serious choice – and leaned back in the chair, staring into space. She cleared her throat to get his attention, but he ignored her.

"Snape?" His head snapped up to glare at her.

"What?" He bit.

"Whatever internal battle you're facing right now, I am actually a part of this situation, so I'd _appreciate it_ if you let me in on your thoughts." He continued to glare at her, but shifted forward.

"Miss _Granger_, I am very aware that you must be just _despairing_ in the knowledge that I'm your husband-"

"Is that what you think?" Hermione cut him off incredulously. "I know this situation must be difficult for you too, knowing that you have to be married to me, the _insufferable know-it-all_." Her voice lowered dangerously as she uttered his favourite taunt for her. He sat back again, studying her. Her chest was heaving with barely contained anger and her hair had begun to make its way back to its normal wild form. He shut his eyes and tried to ignore her, while he thought how best to approach the situation. Hermione was merely despairing that they had already argued.

"Miss Granger," He began, opening his eyes again, "I'm sure that you feel very uncomfortable with this situation as I am far older that yourself and was once your professor, but I am willing to make this as painless for you as possible." Hermione sat up straight, listening intently. "Unfortunately, the ministry has seen it necessary for all marriages to be consummated within 28 days of the marriage taking place, so we will be forced to copulate, but I assure you that I will make it as quick and as uncomfortable as I can manage." Hermione looked crest fallen.

"No." She whispered, tears filling her eyes. Snape looked taken aback. She let out a shaky breath and blinked back the tears, facing him. "No, you're going about this all wrong. I can't live with you, like we must, knowing that you hate me. I need you and I to develop some semblance of civility and – and," Her voice faltered, becoming less sure, "And I am not the sort of woman who will agree to a quick and meaningless, awkward _fuck." _She spat out the last part in a rush, a blush heating her cheeks. "We'll start by calling each other by our first names, if you will."

"You always were a know-it-all, Hermione." He said, but his voice carried no malice, in fact, his lips twitched as though he wished to smile.

"I just intend to make the best of a bad situation. You're a very brave, strong and exceedingly intelligent man Sn-Severus, and if you can tolerate me, I don't think this will be the worst thing that's ever happened. At least not to me, and knowing a little of your past, I certainly hope not the worst of yours." She said, with a shy smile. His eyes softened as he acknowledged all that she had been through, and that she had done so without giving into anger and bitterness as he had.

"Let us start anew." He said, standing, "Hello Hermione," He extended his hand to her and she stood, accepting it.

"Hello Severus." She shook his hand, smiling.

**A/N:** **So do you think all will be well from now on? *cheeky grin***


End file.
